A spearfisher has been fatally mauled on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia’s second fatal shark attack in just over a week, police said. The 39-year-old man was with three friends diving from a boat at Kennedy Shoal off the Queensland state coast, south of Cairns, on Sunday when he was attacked.
Details of the Incident
Police Inspector Elaine Burns stated: ‘The man had been spearfishing when he was attacked and died from a critical head injury.’ The unnamed victim, who lived in Cairns, was brought by boat to the town of Hull Heads, where paramedics were waiting. He had ‘sustained injuries not compatible with life’, an ambulance service statement confirmed.
Location and Background
Kennedy Shoal is a shallow coral reef popular with recreational fishers. Divers are also attracted to the Lady Bowen, a 19th-century shipwreck. Fishers reported bull sharks had been seen in the area before the attack.
Previous Attacks
A shark fatally mauled spearfisher Steve Mattabonni on May 16 at a coral reef off Rottnest Island near the south-west coast of Western Australia state. The 38-year-old Perth resident was taken by boat to the holiday island, where paramedics were unable to resuscitate him. A 16-foot white shark was suspected.
The latest death is Australia’s third shark fatality in 2026. Nico Antic, 12, died in hospital days after he was attacked by a suspected bull shark off a Sydney beach on January 18. Nico suffered serious injuries to both of his legs and was only able to survive after the other children bravely dragged him out of the water and onto some nearby rocks. His family said: ‘Nico was a happy, friendly, and sporty young boy with the most kind and generous spirit. He was always full of life and that’s how we’ll remember him. We would like to sincerely thank the first responders and the teams at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, for everything they did to care for Nico.’
